Kurz: We will continue supporting Balkans' eurointegration

VIENNA - Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz has told Tanjug that he is visiting Belgrade with a message that the future of all Western Balkan countries is in the EU and that Austria will continue to strongly support their European integration efforts.

It is my desire as Austrian foreign minister to visit all Western Balkan countries as soon as possible, as the region is a priority of our foreign policy, Kurz said.

My message is that the future of all Western Balkans is in Europe and Austria will fully support that, said the Austrian foreign minister.

Austria has great interest in seeing Serbia developing into a stable and, in the best possible sense of the word, European state, Kurz said.

To Austria, Serbia is a neighbor without a border between them and a country whose bonds with Austria are very strong and go a long way back in history, said Kurz.

We are closely connected in more than one way - through history, culture, and also Danube, which links us as both transportation waterway and natural space, Kurz said. The connection can be also seen in the fact that Austria is home to a great number of people of Serbian origin, which has resulted in many personal, economic and cultural ties, and Austria greatly appreciates that, he added.

Economy, of course, plays a very important role today, Kurz said. Austria is the biggest investor in Serbia, but Austria also holds a special place for the Serbs who live in Austria and who have made Vienna one of the biggest Serbian cities in the world, added the Austrian foreign minister.

Kurz will have separate meetings with Serbia's President Tomislav Nikolic, First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, and Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic on...